The Romance of the Rose
Roses are known to have flourished for 35 million-years. Ancient rose hips have been found in Europe, and petrified rose wreaths have been unearthed from Egyptian tombs.
The rose is the floral emblem of the United States, the provincial flower of Alberta, Canada, and the state flower for North Dakota, Georgia, New York, and Portland. We celebrate the Rose Festival in Pasadena, the Tournament of Roses Parade, and the Rose Bowl. We really love our roses.
Cleopatra had her living quarters filled with the petals of roses so when Marc Antony visited, he would forever remember her for such opulence and be reminded of her every time he saw a rose.
Roman high-society women used petals much like currency, and believed they could banish wrinkles if used in poultices.
The apothecary rose, R. Gallica Officinalis, first recorded in the 13th century, was turned into jellies, powders and oils.
In Greek mythology, Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, is said to have created the rose. The Romans turned Aphrodite into their goddess of romance,Venus, and also associated her with the rose.
During the War of the Roses 1455-1487, the House of York adopted the white rose, the House of Lancaster decided on the red rose.
The winner of this war, Henry VII, merged his red rose, with his York bride's white rose, creating the Tudor Rose.
Napoleon's wife, Josephine, dreamed of establishing a rose garden in Malmaison containing a collection of all the roses of the world.
And the world's oldest living rose bush/tree is thought to be 1000 years old. Today, it continues to bloom on the wall of the Hildesheim Cathedral in Germany.
So our fragile little rose has a long and distinguished history, filled with high emotion, ancient legend, and enduring fortitude. The symbol of war, coveted as wealth, found in romantic myth, and loved by notable people throughout history--it truly is a magical flower worthy of expressing our passion and love.
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Read The Dragon and the Rose to see how the rose played a part in my Medieval Romance
E-book only $2.99
Sir Branoc Valtaigne, ordered to Northumbria By King William II, fights to keep peace along the Scottish border. A formidable battle-tested warrior, he honors his vows to God, king, and country, but a young woman’s smile may prove to be his undoing.
Martanzia Verheire, tricked into standing as good faith hostage for Flanders, seeks freedom from castle Bamburgh and love from Sir Branoc. As she clings to the Celtic dragon statue given to her by her mother, she leads them all to the brink of an era where true magic will be gone forever, but where dreams can still come true.
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Martanzia Verheire, tricked into standing as good faith hostage for Flanders, seeks freedom from castle Bamburgh and love from Sir Branoc. As she clings to the Celtic dragon statue given to her by her mother, she leads them all to the brink of an era where true magic will be gone forever, but where dreams can still come true.
Please visit these sites for more
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletecongratulations Susanne! you were randomly selected to win the $10 Amazon GC.
DeleteWow, I never realized so much history was attached to roses. What an interesting post. Dragon Rose sounds really intriguing too. I can't wait to read it. 👧🏻
ReplyDeleteGreat Post
ReplyDeleteI love your posts, Gini. I always learn something new :) There's nothing like the smell of a rose. I don't think I read The Dragon and The Rose, I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI never knew such a beautiful flower had such a history!
ReplyDeleteWhenever I smell Rosewater it reminds me of my grandmother :-)
ReplyDeleteThe Dragon and the Rose looks fabulous.
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Congratulations Susanne! You were randomly selected as the winner of the $10 Amazon Gift Card
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